Accidentally Reunited
by MiraTheMage
Summary: When Zelena used the silver slippers to travel across worlds to meet Rumpelstiltskin, things didn't quite go to plan. Instead of meeting the man she hopes can teach her to harness her powers, she comes face to face with her sister/the queen... and her priorities change form 'learn magic' to 'don't get beheaded for being in the royal castle.' Wicked Queen BrOTP. No romantic ships.
1. Part One: The Wizard

**So this was my first ever fanfic... Actually it was more or less my first ever creative writing. I wrote two short parts, and even though I had lots of ideas for it, half a year later I've barely touched it. So it's chances of it ever being completed are... slim. But I do have a fairly complete plan of where this story would go, so who knows, maybe I'll get hit with the motivation to finish it.**

 **This part is just a scene form the show to set the stage, the different stuff is in the next part. (Though I went into Zelena's thoughts quite a bit, so this is worth reading)**

* * *

Zelena felt so nervous, as she quickly walked down the gold and green corridor towards the wizard's chamber. She had been to the emerald city multiple times in her life but this was different. Was this a good idea? She had to get away from her father and look for her roots, but maybe the most powerful and terrifying man in all of OZ was not the best place to start...

But no, he was her best bet, and she wasn't going to wast any more time! and well, she didn't have another plan anyway.

As she approach the doors, two guard in ridiculous hats moved aside to let her in. 'No going back now' she thought, and walked towards the doors.

They opened without her so much as touching them, revealing the grand room behind. Brightly lit green and gold, with structures the like of which she had never seen, and for a moment she forgot all about being nervous. But as she approach the curtain in the centre of the room, which bore the word "OZ" upon it, fire arose from the ground startling her back. Then a voice spoke, a voice attached to no body and was so loud, not unlike some fantasy monster.

"I've been expecting you" it said. And as she watched, the out line of a giant figure formed behind the curtain. 'He really is powerful' she thought 'I must not panic, this is good, if he is so powerful then he must be able to tell me what I so much want to know'

"How did you know I was coming?" she said not bothering to hide her curiosity.

"I see all, I am oz the great and terrible" At that point the flames gushed out of the ground forcing her back again "You've come because you wish to find your family" is all the figure's says in reply. Zelena would be surprised he knew what she wanted, but it seems surprise is something with a limited supply and with all the things that happened today she is completely out.

"Can you help me?" she asked the question that she really needed answering

"I will show you what you seek to know" the wizard said, giving her hope, then he followed it with "But I warn you it won't be easy for you" Causing doubt to seep into her thoughts 'I have to know though don't I?' she did not get a chance to ponder it, because the ground beneath her feet began to swirl, she quickly moved back as pictures began to form. The image of a woman carrying a baby in a basket, 'probably me" she realised, and more importantly...

"Is that my mother?" she asked

"Her name was Cora" Cora. Her mother's name was Cora "She gave birth to you in another land" the wizard said as the woman lay the basket with little baby her in it down on ground, and moved away "A cyclone struck and carried you to this world" at this point Zelena didn't really care how she got to Oz, still stuck on her mother leaving her in the woods.

"Why did she abandon me?"she asked

"You couldn't give her the one thing she truly wanted. The ability to become royalty" 'my own mother abandoned me for that?' thought Zelena, she than noticed the scene in the floor had changed. It now showed an unfamiliar girl, about her own age,

"Who's that?" she said, pointing at brunette in the floor.

"Your sister, Regina" Well, apparently she was not all out of surprise, because _that,_ that she did not see coming, finding out about her birth mother was scary and exciting, but well, she knew she must had one. And even when she did not know about this one, she had a mother, a dead mother, one that, when she was alive, told her to hide her magic, but a mother all the same. A sister though? A sister she had never had. She always wanted one though, someone your age, who is family, that you know completely, and who can always understand you. But she never had anyone like that, except _apparently_ she did.

"Wait, I've got a sister?"

"Your sister could do what your mother wished. Regina became queen" 'my sister is a queen?' She thought 'just like our mother wanted. Just like _I_ never could be'

She glanced down again to this time see a man, a strange man with skin all gold and scaly, clothed in what looked like crocodile skin. He was with Regina showing her a jewel or something. As if she didn't have enough, what with her being _queen_ and all.

"Who is that man?"

"That is Rumpelstiltskin, a very powerful wizard, the most powerful in all the realms. Like you, Regina has the gift of magic" Her sister in the image was trying to conjure the jewel Rumpelstiltskin had shown her, and failing "But she has been unable to develop it" The wizard finished.

"Magic is a gift?" Zelena asked, she been accidentally conjuring things since she was ten. That simple trick would have been a peace of cake for her.

"Yes, and he's trying to teach her that." The most powerful wizard in all the realms is personally teaching her sister? What, wasn't she busy enough with being queen? It's not like the girl was actually any good at magic.

She could feel the anger, and (though she would never admit it) jealousy welling up inside of her "He should be teaching me!. Not her!" She turned back to the silhouette on the curtain "I need to meet this wizard I'll pay whatever you desire. Just, please. Tell me how to get there"

The silhouette waved it's hand and said "Look down" when she did just that, she saw a beautiful pair of silver slippers that shimmering in the light, and looking completely out of place with her commoner clothing.

"When you click your heels together three times, those slippers will take you wherever you desire"

"Well, what do you want in return" Because he must want something, she knew that the shoes she now wore were very powerful magic

"I simply ask that you bring me something of Rumpelstiltskins" OK, that seemed easy enough.

"Be careful" Zelena looked back up at the wizard as he continue to talk "It is one thing to wonder about your past, but another to become envious of things you cannot have"

She won't, this is about making her mess of a life a little better, and she would not let an emotion such as envy stop her. Having said that she _did_ get a bit emotional over all her sister had... No she'll be fine, she will ignore Regina and concentrate on her own life. she takes a deep breath and clicks her heels together. One.. Two.. Three.


	2. Part Two: Home of a Queen

She reappeared in a cloud of green smoke, and looked around to find herself in the very room she had been watching her sister and Rumpelstiltskin practice magic in. Which now she saw it properly, was probably the queen's private chambers. And _wow_ , was it beautiful. A giant fireplace in one wall, while another opened out on to a balcony ('One wonders what she did in bad weather. I suppose she must have separate chambers for that' she mused to herself) The furniture was wood, carved with extravagant detail. The bed was huge and adorned with light pink covers, pillows and _canopy_.

Zelena started to look around. First she investigated the wardrobe, as expected the dresses inside were completely up to par with the furniture that held them. Next she went for her sister's vanity. It held an assortment of things, but mostly jars which she assumed contained perfume, she picked one up, opened the lid and sniffed at it, 'Yes, definitely perfume' she thought, putting it dawn, 'can't say I like it, but I'm sure it cost a fortune'

She then noticed the jewel that Regina had not been able to conjure. She was about to give it a go (and she had every confidence that she would have succeed where her sister failed) when she heard footsteps approaching from an adjoining room, she quickly jumped away for the vanity (and what was a rather incriminating position) to stand in the middle of the room (best she could do on such short notice)

"Who the hell are you, and what do you think you're doing in here?" said a female voice that held no small amount of anger.

Zelena hesitated for only a few moments before slowly turning around to face the person who had found her the queen's private chambers where she had _absolutely_ _no right to be_. Her eyes found a brunette about her age, dressed in very rich clothing. She was a somewhat smaller than Zelena imagined but she was definitely the sister she had only found out existed less than ten minutes ago, …and who was also the queen ...who's chambers she had just broken in to.

"Well?" said her (very angry looking) sister. There was not any obvious familial resemblance between them, the younger girl's brown-almost black hair, dark brown eyes, tanned skin, were a rather notable contrast to her light red hair, sky blue eyes, and very pale pink skin. They really had little alike in facial structure either. Maybe similar cheekbones? They both had quite strong chins...

"Do I have to repeat myself? _Who_. _Are_. _You_?" 'Huh? oh yeah I should probably answer. Should I tell her the truth? I mean what's worst the that could happen... Well, I wanted to have nothing to do with her and that might be difficult if she knows I'm her sister, she might want a relationship... On the other hand she might consider me a threat and lock me up, or behead me... There's also the possibility that she would not believe me. Actually that is probably the most likely seeing as I haven't a lick of proof. In that case she would almost certainly behead me... So if not the truth, then what?'

"Are you mute? Wh-"

"I'm your handmaiden, milad- your majesty!"

A raised eyebrow from her sister. That's not good... "You interrupted me."

'DAMMIT! This is bad' "It was an accident" she said, then, as an after thought "I'm very sorry, your majesty"

"What happened to to the other one?"

"I'm sorry, the other what?"

"Handmaiden!"

"Ahh.. she's sick. But she'll be back soon! I'm just temporary. _Very_ temporary." Yes, as in, if she could have it her way she would get fired right this minute. That is, as long as Regina is not the sort of monarch who beheads the people she fires...

"You should have knocked" The Queen said, then, at Zelena's confused expression "On the door, you should have knocked, and then waited for me to give permission to enter!"

"I- I just forgot. I promise I'm not lying." OK, that sounded very weak even to her.

"I know, otherwise you never wouldn't have made it past the guards" So, good news is her sister believes her lies. Bad news is she's going to have to be very careful not to run into any guards.

"So, what's your name then?" The queen asked

"Zelena" she saw no reason to confused herself by lying about that. It's probably not a normal name in this realm, but the only names from here she knows are Regina, Cora and Rumpelstiltskin. And she has a suspicion that one of those is not common to this realm either.

"Ok... _Zelena_ "(she says it in a way that confirms her thoughts, that it was not a common name) "Why are you dressed like that?"

Zelena looked down at her dress. Her sister had a point, it was way to simple for even the handmaiden of a royal. Right need to think of an excuse, fast!.

"The person that hired me, thought you might want to decide what I wear yourself."

The queen laughed at that "Why would I want to do that?" 'Good question sis. At least she's not stupid..."

"Because nobles vary, some dress their servant up to show them off, and others keep their outfits minimal so as the servant don't over shadow their master" 'Wow, that made a surprising amount of sense. Though it may have been a bit-

"You're very blunt" 'Ahhh!, what do I say to that?, What _can_ I say to that?

"Sooo, what do you want me to wear?" 'Ah yes, the good old (and very obvious) change the subject strategy.'

The queen dose not seem to have an answer at first. after a long pause she said "Well, what do you want to wear?"

Oh, very sneaky answering her question with a question, she would call her out on it, but it might be best not to dig herself in deeper. Which left her with the conundrum of how to answer the queen. She didn't know anything about clothing norms of this realm. Regina's dress was intricate, wonderfully crafted and unquestionably rich, but a more subtle kind of Rich than the nobles in OZ. _Much_ more subtle.

The only thing she could think to say was "I'm fine in these"

"Ok, if you want to stand out like a sore thumb, have if your way" Regina then turned around and started to headed for the door, but just as she reached it she stopped and looked back at Zelena "Well come on then!"

"Come where?" she asked. Dammmmit, she just wanted to get away from her royal sister, was that to much to ask?

The queen regarded her for a moment, then said "Are you sure your qualified to be a handmaiden?" 'Ahhh! just go somewhere else, _please_!'

"I hardly think it's the sort of thing I could be mistaken on" 'why can't you just believe me?, I know I'm lying through my teeth, but why cant you be stupid and believe me?'

"I'm sorry, it's just I'm surprised someone hired you" Zelena had to try really hard not let her anger at that show. Yeah, no one in their right mind _would_ choose her for this job, but did she have say it like that?

"And why's that?"she asked in what, she hoped, was a fairly neutral voice.

"Well, for starters, despite the fact that, seeing as you got hired you must be from a well to do family, You chose to wear those cloth-"

"I like to dress practically"

"That's my point, yours is not the sort of attitude that most people look for in a queen's handmaiden. And your butting in brings me on to point two, your manners. You come in without knocking, you interrupted me, you spoke bluntly to me, and you questioned me when I told you to come" 'Oh, so that's what started her off, I must be more careful!(if I get out of this alive)'

"Then there's your accent"

"What's wrong with my accent?!"Zelena said making a very poor attempt at hiding her anger

"It means your family has risen to nobility, that they used to be just peasant and thus your blood is not pure, most people would not think you suitable for a queen's handmaiden" 'OK, to hell with not getting killed! how _dare_ she say that? Oh, if _only_ she knew that they shared the same blood! And she happened to be quite fond of her accent, _thank you very much_. She was just about to argue her side, when her sister spoke again. "It's a stupid discrimination, but you know how nobility like to hate people for not being them" 'OK maybe she deserve a bit more credit than I gave her.' Zelena also couldn't help but feel Regina had at some point stopped talking about her.

"Thank you for saying that. I may not be conventional, but I _will_ be good. And I'll work on my manners"

The queen regarded her for a moment then smiled "Why bother?" she said "I'm the _queen_ , I sure if you where capable of being polite, you would around me." 'Did she just say? ...and I was almost starting to not completely hate her!'

"Now come on!" This time she followed with out question.

Zelena started to panic a bit when she saw two guards stationed outside the door, when they pasted the men looked at her, confused, then Regina approach one and said "Next time, don't let my forgetful little handmaiden in without knocking" 'Well that's it then, I'm doomed' She was just wondering if she could use the slippers before they grabbed her, when the guard nodded and said "Sorry your majesty. It won't happen again"

'What? Whaaat?! They know she didn't even come through the door. Why would they not tell Regina that?' She then looks around at all the guards stationed in this corridor, all looking at her with confused expressions, but none saying anything. Then it hit her, and she nearly burst out laughing. None of them would admit they did not see a mysterious girl walk into the Queen's private chambers uninvited. The queen was believing her story on the ground that her guards did, and her guards were believing it on the guards that the Queen did. She would have broken into a royal castle years ago, had she known it was so easy.


	3. Part Three: Making it up as you go

**Hi... So, umm... it appear it took me half a year to update this. *hides* I don't have any excuses... but I'm gonna try and give one anyway! After I posted the first two parts I had a plan for two things to happen in part three, and I started writing right away. I wrote the first thing I had planned, and then... these _other_ things started happening, things that I never planned, and the end just seemed to be getting further and further away! and to tell you the truth burnt out, I got fed up of writing, and when I got back into it my original stories took precedence.**

 **That's my defence, please have mercy. I eventually decided to post most of what I'd written and put the rest of what I'd planed in part 4. Which is what I've done.**

 **Thank you too EndlessReign, Ailec-12, Karen, oreolife477 and Rose Nguyen for your comments. You scared the hell out of me because _people_ are terrifying :P, It was a good kind of scared though, feel free to ****continue.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

As she followed her sister down the corridors they attracted the gaze of many a castle inhabitant, but none of them seemed to have the guts to question her presence while she was walking with the queen. So no disastrous encounters there.

Soon they arrived at what tuned out to be a castle meeting, and after only a couple hours she'd discovered something she imagines few are party to. Castle meetings are the most boring, tedious and frustrating thing she has ever had the displeasure of being a part of. And she's done a _lot_ of boring tedious and/or frustrating things in her life, in fact they were pretty much _all_ she did, but _this_ , this tops them all.

And she just can't understand why _she_ has to be here. Well no that's not true, she's has to be here because Regina's here. What she can't understand is why _Regina_ has to be here.

There is a council of about ten men. Some of them are probably high ranking officers, and others are might be influential nobles, though she can't be sure, and honestly doesn't really care. They don't do much except tell the queen about problems she needs to fix. Only the _queen_ doesn't do anything about these things. That is were the main members of the meeting come in. And probably the only ones who aren't bored to death. The _advisers_. They would take what ever silly thing had been bought up and talk and talk about it, till _eventually_ they all agreed on a course of action, then, after a little bit of paperwork, they move on to the next subject.

It could be argued _Zelena_ had more to do than the queen. Her job was to stand behind the queen, holding a tray of sandwiches and every now and again, when one of the council members beckoned to her, bring it to them, so that they may not go without snacks while they discussed the poverty of the lower class.

Oh, and when Regina told her to, she have to prepare and serve tea, very exciting _... Not_.

It occurred to Zelena that when she got discovered by the queen, had someone said that in a few hours she'd be bored out of her mind, she'd have thought them crazy. But low and behold here she was, in a strange realm, in a royal castle, pretending to be the queen's handmaiden, and so bored she was worried she might fall asleep... _standing up_.

She glanced over at her sister, she almost looked bored as well, _'Then why keep us here?'_ She thought. Maybe Zelena's boredom had driven her crazy, but she decided she couldn't stand this any longer and must do something. She went to stand next to Regina, and whispered "How long do these meetings normally last? I ask because the sandwiches won't last forever"

The Queen looked at her with a smirk that said she probably saw right through her excuse, _'damn her perceptiveness'_ Zelena thought to herself.

"Oh that _is_ a problem, because they'll _never_ be able to survive without their sandwiches" the queen whispered back. Zelena almost winced at that _'Yeah, she definitely didn't believe me"_

"Your, boredom is obvious to anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention, don't presume you can hide anything, your emotions are a open book" Zelena had to actually bite her tongue to stop herself responding. _'Oh that's rich'_ she thinks _'I'm hiding a great deal from her! I'm hiding the fact that I'm not supposed to be here. I'm hiding the fact that I come from another_ _ **realm**_ _! I'm hiding the fact that I'm her_ _ **sister**_ _! But of course I can't tell her how wrong she is... who knew being a master manipulator was so hard?!'_

She decided it be safer not to try and deny it, as the queen seemed pretty confident in her theory. "Do you do this regularly Your Majesty? The council meeting I mean." Regina nods, "I don't understand why" Zelena continued, "This feels to me to be the most uninteresting of activities, and I realise that it's important, and that someone must do it, but from what I've seen... um, that person isn't you" Zelena winced at her own brashness _'please don't take offence, Please don't take offence'_ she prayed.

Regina seemed to consider how to reasoned for a moment, "The people swear they're allegiance to the monarchs of the realm, not to unknown advisers, it is the kings job to hear what his advisors think and make his own decisions based on that" she say finally.

 _'King? So she married into the crown. I did wonder'_ Zelena thought _'she must had been quite young,_ _ **I'm**_ _only twenty one, and I_ _ **presume**_ _she's my younger sister'_ Then caching up to the rest of what the queen had said, "but-" Zelena started to say, then stopped realising she probably shouldn't push her luck any further by arguing "What I mean is, that makes sense" she tried to rectify.

No such luck though, the queen gave her an unamused look "What did I say about your being an open book?" She sighs before continuing "You really need to control yourself better, but anyway, tell me what you were going to say. I'm curious now"

' _My needing to control myself better is probably about the only thing we can wholeheartedly agree on'_ Zelena thought. "Err, I was going to say, you don't seem to be actually making decisions, you aren't talking with them, they aren't even asking you for your verdict on their plans, and I can't imagine you've been listening to them all this time while we have been talking. So, I'm sorry but I still don't understand"

The Queen didn't say anything for long enough that Zelena thought she had maybe decided to ignore her, but then she said quietly "I suppose I don't really _know_ much about running a kingdom. I only became queen a year ago. I _have_ tried to learn but no one seems that interested in teaching me, and they-" (she nods toward the rest of the council who are still talking about what ever it was they were talking about, and had not noticed the queen's attention being elsewhere)"-would be unlikely to think me qualified to have a say in these matters"

"But surely if you decided to go against them, they'd have no choice but obey?" Zelena questioned.

"Yes, in a way... I'm only here as a representative of my husband, I can only say what I think he'd say, but they probably know better than me what his stance on everything is, so really there's no point in my getting involved"

"That's sad"

"Is it? If they don't want me it's their loss. Instead of listening to the petty problems the nobility of the kingdom, I can put my mind to subjects I'm more passionate about. It's considerably more interesting" the queen said in a lighthearted tone.

"Maybe you shouldn't have married a king then" Zelena replied jokingly.

In hindsight it probably wasn't a proper thing to say to your queen, and earlier in the day she wouldn't have, but Regina had always reacted to her slips with nothing more than disapproving looks and witty come backs, so _maybe_ Zelena had let her guard down. This time however Regina reacted differently, she didn't say a word, but if look could kill, oh boy, Zelena would be six feet under. She kept up this frankly terrifying stare for what felt like hours but in reality was probably closer to ten seconds. Then she turned to watch the council, chin held high, a scowl on her face. She look so much more like the cruel monarch Zelena had originally taken her for. She looked scary.

Zelena avoided looking directly at her for the rest of the council meeting. When _finally_ they rapped up five hours after it originally started, she could barely contain her relief, practically skipping out the room.

Unfortunately Regina still seemed to be angry at her, _'I wonder why that in particular aggravated her so'_ Zelena wondered as she followed the queen down a corridor _'maybe she_ _ **was**_ _angry at all the other things I said, and this just tipped her over the edge. Or maybe she is particularly protective of her crown, and won't stand for anyone even_ _ **joking**_ _that she shouldn't have it? ...though that's not at all the feeling I got off her before. But I never have been a good judge of character'_

She glanced at her sister, but all she could see was her back and the swishing fabric of her dress, from which she couldn't gather much of her demeanour, though what she _could_ gather didn't look good. Regina was walking at a very brisk pace, her back completely straight, head held high.

Zelena could do nothing but follow her and hope for the best.

After a short while of walking through confusing corridors that Zelena could hardly believe anyone would ever be able to navigate, no matter how long they'd live here, she found herself back at Regina's chambers _'Where all this trouble began'_ she thought. Regina opened the door, and Zelena followed her in.

The Queen sat down on her huge bed. She then- for the first time in hours -looked at Zelena, she didn't look angry any more, she looked cold and uncaring. Somehow Zelena felt this was the most scary she seen her yet.

"Well, that was quite a trying few hours, I need to relax. Fill my bath" she said sharply.

"Yes, Your Majesty" she really needed to be as good and helpful as she possibly could, but there was a small problem in her way "Umm... where is your bath Your Majesty?"

"Oh for love of all that is good! Did the head of staff tell you nothing?!" Regina said, exasperated.

"Well, err, not that particular thing, obviously" Zelena said, and tried to smile but did not entirely succeed.

"Come on" Regina sighed, got up and marched across the room to a door, not the one leading out onto the corridor and not the one Regina had come from when she'd first found her, but a third one. _'Ah yes, I see, because one gigantic room to yourself just for nice weather isn't enough'_ Zelena thought, but she followed her through.

It was bathroom, but it wasn't like any bathroom Zelena had ever seen. The walls were painted with ocean scenes, the floor was mostly polished wood except in the middle of the room, around the bath where it was tiled, the bath itself was round, made of some kind of stone, and tiled to match the floor. It was probably big enough for _Zelena_ to stretch her legs out if she sat in it, and certainly big enough for her sister to do so, with a _lot_ of room to spare (her sister was _tiny_ )

Back home, the _bathroom_ was about the size of regina's _bath_ (though not round) and the tub was a metal rectangle, so small you had to hug your knees to fit in.

 _'Does she even realise what she has?'_ Zelena wondered. She glanced over at Regina.

"Okay, you can stop gaping and start working, _now_ " her sister snapped.

 _'Well if she does she doesn't show it'_ Zelena concluded with disgust.

"I suppose if no one even showed you the room, it'd be too much to hope for that you'd have been told how I like my bath?"

 _'There's more than one way to have a bath?'_ Zelena thought, "I'm sorry, no" she said.

Regina sighed, "of course" she said "well, I like it very hot, with Arendelle lilies . And you'd better never make me tell you again"

 _'Very hot?_ _ **Lilies**_ _? How on earth do I do that?'_ is what Zelena thought, but she said "yes Your Majesty, of course Your Majesty"

Regina gave her a little nod in acknowledgement, then strode out of the room.

Zelena turned and stared at the bath, like looking at it would unlock the secrets of how it's supposed to be used. At home she would take a bucket to the well, fill it, bring it back, put the water in the cauldron over the fire, and heat it till it was semi warm, then she'd fill the tub and get in. No _Arendelle lily_ or anything.

But Zelena had a funny feeling things worked definitely here.

She did have one idea though, probably a very bad idea, probably a very _very_ bad idea. She tip toed over to the door and opened it a crack, through it she glanced around the room. Regina wasn't there, probably in the other adjoining room. Good, that meant there was a chance that this might work. Regina would never know weather or not she left to get the water- (wherever or however it's stored) and as much distance as possible would improve the chances of Regina not hearing anything.

So, with a little trepidation she walked over to the bath, raise her hands above her head, closed her eyes and concentrated. After a moment a thin mist began to form directly over the bath. She was doing it! She was doing magic! And entirely through will power, just think what she could do if someone actually taught her. She concentrated harder, making the mist solidify into a cloud, then, slowly at first rain started to fall from it. She couldn't celebrate though, the rain was falling faster and faster, and it took all her will power to keep it in the confines of the bath. But soon enough the water level was almost at the rim, she dropped her hands, the cloud dispersed.

She walked over to stand right next to the bath, she lowered her hand so that it was submerged just below the surface of the water. She focused all her will and emotions into her hand and out the tips of her fingers. At first the water was icy cold, almost to cold to hold her hand there, but warmth radiated out from her, heating the water at a rapid speed, bubbles springing from its depths. Soon it she it was almost to _hot_ to hold her hand in. At that point she let the magic still, and raised her hand.

She wondered if she could magic up Arendelle lilies, probably, maybe. But even if she could, want was she to do with them? Sprinkle the petals on the water? Or put the whole flower in? Or was she supposed to... juice it in somehow? She remembered the perfume she hadn't thought much of, maybe something like that. She looked around, there were many jars and bottles on shelves mounted on the walls. She walked over to the nearest one, and picked one bottle up, removing the topper and lifting it to her face so that she may smell it. Yep, definitely scented. Not lily thought, it was- She sniffed again- lavender. Again she couldn't say she liked it. She put it down where she'd found it, and picked up the one to the right of it. This one smelled of roses, bit nicer but not what she was looking for.

Right at that moment, the door she'd originally entered from opened. Zelena swung round, nearly spilling the contents of the bottle she was still holding, but just about managed to steady it.

Regina had entered and was looking at her with a small amount of annoyance, but mostly just confusion. "What are you doing? I said _Arendelle_ _lily_ , not rose"

"I know Your Majesty" Zelena quickly replied "I'm just trying to work out which jar it is"

Regina gave her a strange look, then walk over to Zelena, took the bottle out of her hands, turned it and held it up to her sister's face. "The contents is written on the bottle" she said, pointing at it to emphasise her point.

Upon taking a closer look at the symbol she had taken for decoration, Zelena could see they were the Wizard's language. A scripture created by the Wizard of Oz himself. Since he arrived in Oz many in the Emailed City had taken to using it. But Zelena could barely even read the common script (Her father had not thought it important), let alone the Wizard's.

However she somehow got the impression that, should Regina catch on to this, it would raise some serious red flags. More lies it is then.

"Oh, how silly of me. I didn't notice" she said, giving her sister a sheepish smile.

Regina just rolled her eyes in exasperation. She put down the rose scented.. bath perfume? in its original place, and picked up the one right next to it.

"I believe this is what you are looking for?" She said handing it to Zelena. Zelena took it, then there was a short silence.

"Well? Aren't you going to put it in?" Regina eventually asked, eye brow raised.

"R-right!" Zelena stammered, and made her way quickly over to the bath and crouched over it.

She wasn't at all sure how much to put in, but she supposed she should just keep pouring it till it the smell was noticeable, but not overpowering.

"Why did you come in here Your Majesty?" Zelena asked "do you need something?"

Regina sighed, "I- I just came to help"

Zelena's head jumped up to stare at her. _'what?!'_ was her main thought.

"I mean, I realised that it was unlikely you would be able to get it right on your first time, so I'm here to supervise" Regina said. She looked nervous.

 _'She's not telling the whole truth'_ Zelena thought. _'She doesn't seem as angry either. Maybe... It's almost like she's trying to make up for reacting so, but can't say it out loud. Of coarse I could be wrong'_ She had no idea what to make of her theory, so she turned her concentration back on the bath.

Regina walked over and took the bottle out of her hands. "That'll be enough," she said.

"Oh! Right, Your Majesty" Zelena stood up again, and after taking the bottle back, returned it to its place on the shelf.

"Will you be needing anything else Your Majesty?"

"No, that will be all. Why don't you run along to your own room. You could even take a bath yourself" Regina suggested.

' _My_ room? what room? Where is this room she speaks of?' Zelena wondered.

'Yes...' she said uncertainty, "Thank you Your Majesty. I'll do that."

She quickly shuffled out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom, she glanced at the door that led to the hallway, she had better go find this room of hers. However, venturing into the rest of the castle without the queen to unknowingly scare off any questions was not all that appealing to her.

While she thought about it- or while she procrastinated on it -she glanced around the room, again taking note of the wonder of it. She found her eyes drawn to the balcony, she hadn't given it much thought earlier, more interested in the grandness of the furnishings, but now she made her way over there, her heads placed firmly on the railings. She looked out and was struck with the fact that she was seeing an entirely different world. It wasn't so different from her own Zelena supposes, it had trees and hills and the sky was blue… and yet, somehow it was completely different. The way the light of sun that now hung low in the sky lit the hills and the way the trees danced in the wind were both different, and the sky was a different shade of blue, though she couldn't say if it was lighter or darker or greener or purpler, she just knew it was different.

She really wanted to see more of it. To be honest this was not the best vantage point, most of the outside was blocked by the walled courtyard. There's something about it that really bothered Zelena, a balcony with a view of grey concrete arches and floor, it was like a cage.

She sighed and teared herself away from the view to face the door, she approached it with caution like one would approach a dangerous animal, which she knew was ridiculous, the danger was _behind_ the door _._

Once she reached it she turned the handle as quietly as she could, open it just a crack and peered through.

She saw a guard standing _right on the other side._ _'Ok ok, don't panic'_ she thought _'just walk out like you're supposed to be here. Like there's no possible reason for anyone to question you'_ With those thoughts she took a deep breath, pulled the door fully open and strode through it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the guards giving each other unsure looks, but Zelena tried not to look at them, to act like she couldn't care less about their presence. She managed to walked at a normal pace till she turned a corner and disappeared from the their sight, at which point she started to run, stopping when she found a dark alcove, and slipped into it.

A few people walked past but none seemed to notice her, so she allowed herself a moment to think. How was she going to find this room? _Was_ there even a room. She wasn't actually part of the staff so why would she have a room? But maybe the room of the Queen's previous/actual handmaiden was sort of hers now? ' _Oh god! The_ _ **actual handmaiden!**_ _What would I do if she turns up- No scratch that,_ _ **when**_ _she turns up'_ Zelena wondered. Still, she thought it better to panic about one thing at a time, so she turned her concentration back to finding the room.

It did occurred to her that she could just _not_ find it. Disappear off to some other place every night and no one needs be the wiser.

She glanced down at her silver shoes, on the other hand she could just leave this realm and never come back. Now she thinks about it, that would be the most sensible think to do. But she hasn't met Rumpelstiltskin yet and she'll be damned if she went through all this panic for nothing.

She was also curious about her sister, she really had meant to stay away from her, and concentrate on her _own_ life. But well Regina was her own flesh and blood, the _first she'd ever met_ , which made her want to know more about her, would she see herself in her sister? And all those other family things people talk about but she'd never experienced. There was something else as well, if things had gone a little differently, then maybe _she_ would have been Regina. When she looks at her sister, it's like looking at an alternate version of herself from another life, and she wanted to know more about this possible person she could've been. She wanted to know if this was someone she'd have _wanted_ to be, on the one hand this life of wealth and comfort is a dream she's had for a very long time, but on the other hand, she's not sure she wants to _be_ this person, so power hungry she'd marry for a crown. Yeah, there's is of course a _chance_ she actually loves her husband, but the idea that the daughter of someone who would give up there own _child_ to become royalty would just so _happen_ to marry a king appeared _unlikely_.

In short, she wasn't ready to leave this realm just yet, even if it was the sensible thing. She had too many questions.

So with that possibility gone, she needed to worry about this room again. The 'just go somewhere else' plan would probably work, but for how long? How long till someone comes to her room looking for her, or someone ask her why she is walking in the wrong direction to her room, how long till someone finds her sleeping in some unused palace room. All in all, finding the _actual_ handmaidens room and commandeering it seems like the safest plan.

 _'It would probably be very close to the queen's chambers,'_ she reasons. Working on that logic, she made her way back the way she'd come, at a slower pace this time.

Once she was close to Regina chambers but not yet visible to the guards, she started to examine the doors, she noted as she approached the closest one, that there were not too many, however none were marked with any kind of indication as to who resided in them. Not that she could have read it if they had.

Just as she was wondering if she should fall back to the 'hide somewhere else' plan, the door she was standing in front of opened, and out stepped a woman about her own age, with curly blond hair and green eyes. Curly hair was staring at Zelena with surprise and confusion.

"Who are you? What do you want?" She said, after she got over her surprise.

"Sorry, I was just passing, I'll- I'll just carry on now" Zelena forced the most natural smile she could manage, and tuned to walk away, praying that she'd let it go-

"Wait! You didn't answer my first question!"

-alas that was no to be.

Zelena turned to face her again, fake smile still firmly in place, "I'm sorry, what question was that?"

"Who are you. I'm sure I've never seen you before" curly hair said, Her voice laced with suspicion. She did _not_ seem to be buying Zelena's act what so ever.

"Oh, I am the queen's handmaiden!" Zelena said, trying to keep her voice calm.

One of the girls eyebrows raised in an incredulous gaze. "No. You're not" she said.

 _'Oh damn! How did she know- she couldn't have known! She- What- Ok I must stay calm. Stay calm. Calm. I'm clam. I'm- aHHHH'_ is what she thought, but she said "Yes I am. Wh- what would ever make you say that?"

Curly hair stared her dead in the eye as she answered, "because, you dumb mess of ginger, _I_ am the queen's handmaiden"

 _'_ _ **Well**_ _, that certainly explains the how she knew. What can I do now though?'_ Zelena thought, she looked at the girl, _'poor thing doesn't deserve anything bad, but I need her to leave, so sorry lady, but I am going to have to try my hardest to get you fired'_

"Oh, didn't you know?" Zelena feigned surprise "well, this is awfully awkward"

Curly hair gave her a questioning look "didn't know what?"

"You've been fired" Zelena said, apologising profusely internally.

"And why should I believe you?" Curly hair challenged.

"Why would I lie?" Zelena rebutted.

"I'm not sure, but too many things don't add up. One: I haven't given Her Majesty any reason to fire me. Two: if I _was_ field, I'm confident someone _would_ at least think to tell me about it. And three: if I really had been fired, and everyone _really_ had forgotten to tell me, they would not replace me with _you"_ she snarled the last word in a way that make Zelena feel like she should be very offended, she didn't have to ask the girl what she meant though, because she decided to elaborated on her own.

"Look at you, _listen_ to you, you don't speak like a noble, yes that _could_ be explained by your family being filthy ex-common folk like our dear queen, but then your hair could pass as a bird's nest, are you even wearing _any_ makeup? and what kind of a dress is that? You don't stand with the posture of nobility, and if you accent didn't give you away, your consent stammering certainly does. You are a commoner, aren't you? A filly good for nothing low down scum commoner. How the _hell_ did you get in here?

At that point Zelena was doing her absolute best not to freak out, and instead think about her options, which as far as she could see were 'use the sippers and leave here for good' or 'come up with ingenious excuse that combated all those accusations' nether of which were ideal. But she didn't get a chance to think about it further, because at that moment curly hair seemed to come to some sort of realisation..

"You are a theft aren't you?" She said, eyes while, than her expression of anger morphed into one of fear. "Or an assassin" she whispered.

Zelena barley had a chance to register what she'd said before she saw curly hair open her mouth as if to shout for help, and she wasn't quite sure what happened next, only that she knew she _had_ to stop her, Zelena lunged forwards, curly hair was pushed back and down onto the floor, but Zelena hadn't so much as _touched_ her. She looked in confusion at the girl staring up at with her eyes full of fear, Zelena didn't understand what had happened. Then curly hair's gaze moved from her face down to her hands, Zelena's own followed it, and with a shock of terror she realised what she did. Her hands were out stretched and giving off a faint green glow. She used magic. She attacked someone with magic.

Back home she was accidentally using magic all the time, but she had _never_ used it to _hurt_ someone, she had always been afraid she would, every time her father beat her she would fight with all her might against the urge to use magic on him, (partly because she didn't want to hurt him and partly because she knew if she did he'd punish her ten times worse) but she'd always managed. She was always proud of it, that she'd never hurt anyone. But not anymore.

She was torn out of her dark thoughts when she noticed curly hair trying to scramble away, and before Zelena really knew what was happening, the girl was stopped, seemingly frozen mid run, a green glow surrounding her. Zelena ran over to her, she seemed unable to speak, her expression frozen in one of shock and panic.

Zelena look back down at her hands in distress, they were glowing even brighter.

"I'm sorry" she said, through tears. "I didn't mean to do that. I d-don't know how to stop it"

The girl just stared back at her.

Zelena tried to get the magic to stop, but she didn't know how, she was fully aware that her own fear was fuelling it, but damn it, how was she supposed to do anything other than panic in this situation? She remembers what her father always told her, that 'no matter what you feel on the inside you have to put on a good face' so she tries to put on a calm expression, but the problem was that it's what she was feeling on the _inside_ is that was doing this, and she didn't know any way to control that. That was why she had to find Rumpelstiltskin, what ever it takes.

 _What ever it takes_... Zelena looked at the queen's immobile handmaiden, after a great deal of internal conflict, she was decided, as much as she hated it, she was going to kidnap this innocent (all be it some what bitchy) woman.

She tentatively edged closer to curly hair's frozen form, she prodded the arm with her finger, it felt soft, like a normal arm under normal circumstances, she closed the hand around the wrist and pulled it downwards, it move with only a little resistance.

 _'Ok, that's good... possibly.. maybe... maybe not, it surely should make her easier to move? ...right? I don't know, I've not got a lot of experience with this whole kidnapping thing'_ Zelena thought.

Still, despite her lack of experience, she was _pretty sure_ that you shouldn't keep your victims in a corridor on full view to anyone who happens to walk by, for any extended period of time. So, whilst taking great care to be as gentle as reasonably possible, Zelena took curly hair by the shoulders and dragged her into the girl's... well now it kinda _Zelena's_... err, _their_ room.

Once she has the immobile body fully in the room, and laid her down as carefully as she could, she ran over to the door and shut it, then she turned round and rested her back against it while she took a moment to calm herself, once she thought she was as ready as she'd ever be, she opened her eyes and looked down at her kidnap victim, she looked rather uncomfortable, which Zelena felt she should rectify seeing as (though she couldn't know for sure) she had a sneaking suspicion she was conscious.

So she once again took the pour thing by the shoulders and pulled her over to the bed, then she propped the girl's back up against the side of it.

It then occurred to Zelena that as she did not have conscious control over this magic, she had no way of knowing curly hair wouldn't un-freeze at any moment, and if that _were_ to happen it would be _bad._ With this in mind she glanced around the room, searching for something she could use to restrain her prisoner. It was the first time she'd really looked around her since coming in, previously being too occupied with dragging a body around.

It was nowhere _near_ as big the queen's rooms, but to Zelena it was enormous. It was about the size of the entire _house_ she lived in back in Oz, and a lot better furnished. The walls were painted grey (as were all the one she'd see here, which as a stylistic choice she didn't get, unless you were _trying_ to create an evil monarch vibe) the cream coloured bed was a single and without canopy, but still so much more enticing than the straw mattress she'd slept on her whole life. There was an orange rug under her feet, the colour matching the sky where the sun had just disappeared below he horizon. There was no balcony from which to watch this, but there were large elongated windows on one wall. There were also many other pieces of furniture she did not take the time to examine, because she headed over to the window and fiddled with the curtains, undoing the ropes that held them open.

She walked back over to curly hair (she really needed to learn her name, she was kidnapping her after all) and after mumbling many apologies, she secured them around the girl's hands and legs (to the best of he abilities anyway, she is _not_ a master kidnapper) Then she went over to the wooden wardrobe, opened it and looked through the contents till she found a fairly simple white blouse and brought it back with her to the bound girl, fastening it tightly round her mouth. Once done she stood back to admire her handy work... and immediately felt sick. In front of her was a young woman completely restrain and gagged. _'I did this'_ Zelena thought in horror _'I_ _ **abducted**_ _someone. What have I become? I should just leave. Use the sippers, never come back'_ she looked down at her feet, but she didn't click her heels, because of a nagging voice in the back of her mind _'if I go now, I'll never meet Rumpelstiltskin, I'll never learn to control my powers. If I go, how can I know this won't happen again?'_

She let her gaze fall on the girl, "No, I can't run" she said out loud. "I am truly sorry about all.. _this_ ," she said, gesturing to the ropes binding her "But I've got fairly good reasons for needing to be here, and I'm _not_ going to assassinate anyone"

The woman didn't seem impressed, but with her face still frozen in her initial look of fear and shock it was hard to tell.

Zelena sighed, and straightened her back, "look this is how it's going to be. You are going to stay here, tied up, hidden, while I pretend to be the queen's real handmaiden. Once I've got what I need, I will leave and you can go free and tell them all your tragic story of being held captive in your own room, and then I will pray that they don't have the magic required to get to me... Got it?"

The woman still didn't seem impressed.

Zelena tried to look confident and scary, though she was not sure how successful she'd been, because she was most definitely not confident, and _scary_ has never been her strong suit.

"Well, I-I'll be going then. Umm, don't make too much noise.." and with that she strode out of the room... and then after only a few moments strode back in.

"Sorry, need to wet my hair so it looks like I've washed" she said in curly hairs direction, but she's not sure she cared.

After she hurriedly washed her hair in a small bathroom that adjoins her new room, with water provided by magic, and styled it in a quick plait, Zelena headed back toward her sister's room.

* * *

 **Words: 6'219**

 **Everything after the castle meeting was unplanned... Yeah this really went off the rails.**

 **I'm hoping the next part wont take as long. I've got 1'600 words already because I cut the chapter, and as long and no other other unplanned scenes pop up next one should be much shorter.**


	4. Part Four: Silver Slippers

**So this took about two months, which is long but _so_ much better than last time. I got myself to write 100 words a day, which usually meant writing last thing before sleep when I was barely conscious because I wouldn't get round to it before then... Hopefully it doesn't show too much! 😩**

* * *

Zelena walked down the corridor to her sister's rooms, strode straight past the guards, still trying to act like she had done _nothing_ wrong, and put her hand on the door nob, but then thinking better of it, she raised it up to knock on the wooden surface instead.

"Enter" she heard her sister's say.

Zelena entered.

Regina was sitting at her vanity, coming out her wet hair, "Ah, good you're back," she said when she saw Zelena's reflection in the mirror "come help me with this, it's so impossible to tame when wet" Regina said, exasperation in her voice.

"Mine's impossible to tame even when it's dry" Zelena commented as she made her way over to the Queen.

"That's because yours suffers from not being regularly brushed. There's a difference" she retorted.

Zelena bit her tongue to stop herself from retaliating. For once Regina was probably right, but she wasn't going to tell her that.

Regina pasted her the _gold_ brush she'd been using, and Zelena started to gently brush it through her sister's hair.

As she did it, she looked at their reflection in the ornate mirror. Regina seemed to be lost in thought and didn't notice.

Zelena stared in interest at herself and her sister side by side for the first time. All she could think was they truly didn't show much physical resemblance. 'How do I know we really are sisters? I've only got The Wizard's word for it. But then why would he lie?' she wondered.

But somehow, despite her doubts, she felt that The Wizard had told her no lie, that the dark haired girl next to her in the mirror really _was_ her flesh and blood.

Regina still seemed to be lost in her own world, Zelena wondered what she was thinking about but didn't pray and continued to brush any tangles out of her sister's curls.

Once she felt that her hair couldn't probability get more brushed she lowered the brush, nervously wondering what she was supposed to do next.

It took Regina a second to notice she'd stopped, she finally looked up and met Zelena's eyes in the mirror. She seemed to take her nervous uncertainty for a question of some sort, because the next thing she said was "Just braid it into a bun."

Zelena looked down at the queen in worry, "Braid, Your Majesty?" She questioned, trying to keep her voice calm, despite the complete opposite she was feeling.

"Yes, I've always like them, being queen I can't exactly just have a plain ponytail brand, but I think they work well in a bun"

"Um" Zelena said full of nerves "wha- what's a braid?"

In the mirror Zelena saw Regina's face crinkle in confusion, then her sister turned round to face her.

"That-" Regina poked at Zelena's hair "-is a braid."

Now it was Zelena's turn to look confused, "Y- you mean a plait?"

"Plait," Regina said, seemingly testing the word, "yes, I think some people do call it that. I never have though. Where exactly _do_ you come from?"

"Oh, um, quite a way away actually. That is- I used to live far away, but I don't anymore... obviously, because I'm here," Zelena stammered out.

"And where did you used to live?" Regina asked, apparently unable to take a hint.

Zelena schooled her face, to hide her panic, "Metabitharia" she thought up on the spot.

Regina blinked, "Well that's a bit of a month full, isn't it? Metto- Met- What was it again?" She asked.

To tell the truth Zelena could not remember what she'd said either, so she just laughed and pretended to think Regina's question was rhetorical. Thankfully Regina dropped it, instead going down another line of questioning.

"I never even heard of ...that place. Where is it located?"

"Emm, west," Zelena randomly said.

"Ahh, I see, I don't know much about beyond The Dark Forest. Did you have to travel through it on your way here?" Regina seem genuinely interested now. Zelena couldn't for the life of her think why.

"...Yes," Zelena replied uncertainty.

"What was it like?"

"Er, it was a forest? It had …trees? It was- well once you've seen one forest you've seen them all." Regina seemed slightly disappointed at that so Zelena added "It was a bit more… umm, _dark_ than most forests"

Regina still didn't seem incredibly impressed.

"Do you like forests Your Majesty?" Zelena asked, trying to change the subject.

Regina took a moment to reply and when she did she sounded uncertain, as if she herself were unsure of her answer. "It's not so much the forest as the world in general." (As the queen talked Zelena started a probably doomed attempt at styling her hair) "I like to study geography. I'm always curious about far away places, and I love spending time outdoors, well I used to anyway."

Zelena couldn't hide her puzzlement at this "You _want_ to spend time outside?"

"Yes, but I had to stay inside most of the time."

Having to stay inside sounded so foreign to Zelena, she had always had to be outside working, she couldn't imagine why Regina was complaining. What could possibly be harder than running errands at dawn, or chopping wood in the rain, or dragging logs through two feet of snow? Zelena felt a strong desire come over her to tell Regina all that, tell her that actually she had a good life, one that many people would kill for, in fact if the fictional stories of kings and queens are to be believed that many people _have_ killed for.

But she couldn't because that would likely lead to her death which didn't seem fair at all.

"Is my hair close to done?" the queen asked, breaking Zelena out of her thoughts.

"Um, it's coming along Your Majesty" Zelena said nervously. The truth was Zelena hadn't a clue what the hell she was doing. She had done Regina's hair in one long plat and then sort of rapped it around itself. She was now fighting with all the curls that tried to escape.

"Well don't be too much of a perfectionist, I'm hungry, I would like eat soon," the queen complained.

"Yes Your Majesty, of course Your Majesty," Zelena replied.

Zelena put one final pin in and stepped back, then shook her head and went back at it when she saw it was clearly uneven.

She worked at it for a few more minutes until… "Done your majesty," Zelena said when she was finally convinced there was nothing more she could do.

The queen stood up and examined herself in the mirror, she did not seem impressed by her hairstyle, but Zelena supposes it wound have been awful naive of her to expect anything else.

Despite her apparent dis-satisfaction, Regina seemed to decide it was not worth waiting for Zelena to manage better. With a sigh she started applying a light amount of make up to her face.

Zelena was just thanking the gods that make up application was not one of her handmaidenly duties, when there came a knock at the door.

"Enter" Regina commanded.

Some woman (that unsurprisingly Zelena has never seen before) came in. The woman cleared her throat, "The princess requires your presence Your Majesty," she said.

'Princess?' Zelena wondered in confusion. Surely Regina couldn't have a daughter, maybe the king's sister?

The Queen's expression had soured infinitely since the servant came in, though she didn't turn round, she just continued to to dab power onto her face as she asked "Now?"

"Yes Your Majesty," the woman replied. Zelena had to give her credit for managing to keep it so together despite the queen's cold treatment.

Regina finally turned round but the sour expression stayed firmly in place. "But it's dinner time. Everyone, including her royal highness should be heading down to dine."

"The princess fell from her horse today. She was not badly hurt as the animal was only walking slowly, but she had her dinner brought up to her room to eat in bed. She was quite upset by the whole ordeal. Thus she requested your presence. If you wish it, it can be arranged for your food to be brought up to her room so you may eat there?"

"No." the queen said quickly, then slower "No, that will not be necessary. I shall eat later. Thank you, you may leave."

The woman- Zelena still wasn't sure who she was or what her job was -bowed her head and left.

The queen turned around sharply and walked a couple of angry looking paces back and forth, before dropping herself down on her bed and sitting there with her arms crossed.

She then appeared to force herself to look more relaxed and turned to look up at Zelena "I'm going to offer you an escape from this one. Not wanting to throw you in at the deep end on your first day and all that. You should head down to one of the dining rooms"

Zelena took a second to consider what she'd said, was that a suggestion or an order? Regina seemed to think that she was offering her salvation, but in reality Zelena would much rather stick close to the queen. Yes she scared the hell out of her, but she was also her walking shield from awkward questions, and Zelena didn't know if she could afford to venture off without her.

"Actually…" Zelena began uncertainty "if I wouldn't be a burden, I think it would be better if I accompanied you. If as your handmaiden, spending time with the princess is something I shall do often, I think I would be better off learning what that means now. You see I believe it's best to know what you're in for from the start, it helps you stay positive in the long run which improves work performance. And I very much want to be the best I can be."

The Queen raised one eyebrow "Is that so?" she asked.

"Err, yeah?" Zelena said with a slight gulp.

The Queen eyed her for a moment then seemed to give in "Have it your way," she said, and strode over to the main door. Zelena followed after her.

After she followed her sister through a crazy amount of confusing corridors, they stoped outside an ornate door. Regina knocked twice on the red-brown wood.

"Come in!" a young voice called.

The Queen opened the door and walked in. Zelena followed after her, but as she crossed the threshold she had to stop to stare around her at this new room. It was beautiful and … _not grey._ Unlike _every_ other part of this castle she'd seen thus far. This room was white, cream and pale pink. The furniture was made of a light coloured wood caved with elegant patterns of flowers and birds. The entire wall to her right was taken up with a giant window that must (during the day) flood the entire space with sunlight. Up against the opposite wall was a grand bed, just as luxurious as Regina's if not more.

Sitting in this huge bed was a small girl. She looked around ten, with long dark wavy hair and piercing green eyes that lit up the moment they landed on Regina.

' _So_ _ **this**_ _is the princess,'_ Zelena thought.

"Regina!" the princess called in greeting. The Queen sat herself down on the edge of the bed. The child grabbed her hand "I'm sorry for calling you here, I don't want to trouble… But falling off Apples was _so_ scary! And I _always_ feel better when you're around!" Zelena noticed the princess's grip on her sister's hand tighten.

' _What_ _ **is**_ _going on?'_ Zelena wondered _. 'Who the heck is this girl? How is she related to my sister?'_

The Queen gave the child a polite smile, "It's no trouble at all dear. I always want to spend time with my favourite little princess"

Now Zelena was well and truly baffled, hadn't the queen been angrily pacing up and down in annoyance at being summed? Didn't she try an offer Zelena a 'way out'?

Before she could come to any conclusions, she saw the little girl's eyes wonder in _her_ direction.

"Who is that?" she asked pointing at Zelena.

"That's my new handmaiden, Zelena," Regina answered.

Zelena gave her an awkward little wave and smile.

"What an unusual name,"

"Well yours isn't exactly common either dear," the queen said with a smile. "And Zelena comes from a far way land. Beyond The Dark Forest even!"

"Really?" the princess said with interest. She stared over at Zelena "Come sit." she gestured to a spot on her bed next to Regina "I want to hear _everything,_ "

'Oh _hell_ … How do I get myself into these situations?' Zelena thought.

Though, to her surprise the next hour didn't go disastrously. Regina and the princess- (who's name she eventually learnt was _Snow_ of all things, seriously, what the heck kind of a name is Snow?) -really didn't seem to know anything about the land beyond this "Dark Forest". So Zelena just made up crazy stories about her "homeland", and the two of them hung on her every word. All in all it was actually very fun.

Once they had been filled with wondrous tales from "Shamara" (not the name she originally said but she couldn't remember that one and it would seem neither could her sister) Regina suggested it was time Snow settled down for bed. Zelena was combing through Snow's hair as the queen chose out a book for the princess's bed time story.

"You don't dress like other handmaidens" Snow observed.

"Yeah, I get that a lot" Zelena mumbled.

Snow turned her head to look at her attire again (slightly annoying when you are trying to brush someone's hair)

"Ohhhh, you're shoes are _so_ pretty!" She said suddenly.

"Umm, thanks…" Zelena said, not at all happy about any focus on the slippers.

"Oh, they are nice," Regina joined in, seemingly having not noticed her sister's fancy footwear before. "They are not quite on theme with the rest of your ensemble though"

"Err, they're just _really_ comfy. I don't even really like their appearance," Zelena fibbed

The queen gave her a doubtful look.

The princess seemed more inclined to trust her words though "Really? They don't _look_ comfy," she said "can I try them on?"

' _BAD BAD BAD,'_ warning bells went off in Zelena's head.

"Snow, they would never fit you" the queen told the young girl.

"Can I just try?" The princess persisted.

Regina sighted and looked over at Zelena who looked back helplessly, the queen seemed to notice her hesitation.

"They really won't fit you Snow. They'd be _way_ too big. Why do you want to try them anyway?!" The queen snapped.

Snow looked shocked and upset "I just wanted to try them on…" she mumbled.

The queen sighed, "Snow, Snow, don't get upset…" she said gently. She glanced at Zelena "Zelena, could you please let the princess try on your shoes?"

Zelena really really did not want to take off the shoes, but though the queen had framed it like a request, the stern look in her eyes told her it was more of an order.

After much hesitation she reached down and removed the sliver slippers, silently handing them over to the princess

"They really aren't going to fit," Regina commented.

Snow slid them on, they were a perfect fit.

Regina just started at them, then started at Zelena, "You must have _really_ tiny feet," she said.

Zelena laughed nervously and tucked her perfectly normal sized feet into the side of the bed. ' _I suppose it makes sense,'_ she thought, ' _they are magic, and it stands to reason that people other than women of average foot size should be able to use them.'_

Snow had got out of bed to walk around, "They are quite comfy, aren't they?" She said surprised.

"Umm hum," Zelena mumbled, eyeing the shoes warily, her only way home, her only way of saving herself if things went south. She _really_ did not like having them off her person.

"Still can't believe you two are the same foot size. I swear they looked bigger on Zelena…" Regina said.

"It's amazing isn't it?" Snow said enthusiastically. Then a thought seemed to occur to her, "We could trade shoes! Can I borrow these?"

' _NO NO NO'_ Zelena thought in panic. "I didn't bring any others with me…" she fumbled out.

"Why on earth would you do that? You couldn't have been planning to wear the same shoes every day, they would have worn out…"

Zelena did normally wear the same shoes everyday, but that was neither here nor there. "I was planning on getting more here," she tried to explain.

Surprisingly and thankfully, that seemed to make sense to Regina "You wanted to dress in this kingdom's fashion, I understand," she said.

"I could lend you a par of mine in their place?" Snow suggested.

"Umm, that's ever so kind of you. But I think I'd rather keep these," Zelena said, she was really panicking now, she had no idea how to get out of this.

Regina seemed to again notice her unrest because she said in a stern voice "Snow, those are Zelena's shoes. It's not nice to ask people to give you their things,"

"I only wanted to borrow them. And she could say no if she wanted to!" Snow defended herself.

Regina came and sat on the bed with Zelena and the child. "I know, but you must understand this: when you are princess or queen, if you ask someone for something, no matter how it's phrased, they may well feel obligated to give it to you, even if they don't want to." she paused to see if Snow understood, when she saw her nod the queen continued "Snow, you want people to be generous to you because you are a kind and benevolent ruler, not out of obligation. You should try to wait for people to offer things to you, and never push someone if they seem reluctant,"

After a second to take that in, Snow gave a firm nod. She turned to Zelena, slipped off the slippers, handed them to her and said with a determined look on her face "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, please forgive me,"

Zelena smiled, very relieved everything was back on the rails "Forgiven," she replied.

Snow's face broke into a happy grin, then she turned and looked shyly at Regina "Can you read that story now?" She asked, nodding at a book on the queen's lap.

Regina smiled back, "Of cause," she said "this is a good one, it's about queens, knights, dragons and witches…"

Later, as Zelena followed the queen through the castle corridors she allowed herself a moment to worry about what had happened. She had come way too close to losing the silver slippers and being trapped in this foreign world. She needed to do _something_ to make her situation a _little_ bit safer. The shoes stood out way too much against the rest of her appearance, she needed get herself a new outfit and soon …but even then she wouldn't be safe, the queen would probably notice if she kept wearing the same shoes everyday. Especially now all this focus had been put on them. Could she risk taking them off? Hiding them somewhere in the castle? If someone found them- accidentally or otherwise -it could be disastrous.

By then they had reached the queen's quarters. Regina pulled the door open and Zelena followed her in.

Once in the spacious room the queen turned around to address Zelena, a smile on her lips "I was thinking I would eat up here as the dining rooms would be empty now and eating alone at a table for twenty is no fun whatsoever. Would you like to join me?"

Zelena was really having trouble figuring her new sister out, she seemed to change from cruel to funny to cold to kind randomly and without warning. It was most disconcerting, but at least the queen seemed settled on _friendly_ for the time being.

"If you really are fine with it your majesty then I would be honoured," she said politely.

Regina rolled her eyes "If I wasn't fine with it I wouldn't have offered, and it's not such an honour, I'm not inviting you to a grand banquet, I'm inviting you to eat left over food around a small table in my living room at half ten."

"Right, well… I'd like to do that then," Zelena said. Finding a balance between polite and casual was really hard.

The queen wondered over to a rope on the wall and pulled it, a loud ring came from somewhere below.

After a short while, a servant knocked on the door and the queen told her to bring their dinner up to the room. A job she finished in an impressively short amount of time. Zelena supposes being queen had it's pecks.

She and the queen ate in Regina's connected living room. A lovely room decorated to the same high standards as the rest of the queen's chambers.

They sat at a table over looking another open balcony, giving a nice view of the night sky. Zelena noticed somebody seemed to have come in and lit the lamps while she and the queen were with the princess. However she was more interested in the food than the room, partly because she had never in her life eaten anything so grand, but mostly because she hadn't eaten since that morning and she was _starving._

They fed on roasted chicken with a variety of different vegetables on the side, all cooked in hubs foreign to her. There was soft bread rolls with fancy cheese that was way too strong if you ask her but she wasn't about to complain and they had red wine to drink.

It took a huge amount of self control to not appear overly keen on the food, she was so hungry and it was such a feast, but she had to act normal when really she wanted to stuff everything in her mouth at once.

She also felt like it was probably etiquette to eat more or less the same amount as your queen, which was a problem because Zelena had finished her first rather large helping but Regina had served herself a tiny portion and was eating it roughly one month full every minute, while she _read a book._

' _Why must it be this way?'_ Zelena thought as she started longingly at the rest of the food _'you'll go cold before she's finished her lot.'_

"Don't hold back on my account," Regina said without so much as looking up from her book. _'What the hell?'_ Zelena thought _'it's like she's physic.'_

"I don eat much and you seem hungry," Regina continued.

"If you're sure…" Zelena said uncertainty, "You should have more, it's delicious."

The queen just smiled politely and shook her head "No, I'd much rather just read this."

"What's it about? The book I mean," Zelena asked as she hesitantly served herself more food. She probably shouldn't be trying to have a conversation with the queen but sitting there in silence while she eat but the queen did not seemed awkward somehow.

"Horses," Regina replied simply.

"Oh…" Horses were a rarity in Oz. She had seen one once when she was a little girl. It was in the Emerald City pulling a carriage. She had been mesmerised by how elegant and strong the creature was, she had wanted so much to one day ride in that carriage, but she knew it was an unrealistic dream. She wondered if they were as rare in this realm, probably if her sister was reading a whole book about them.

"Is it good?" Zelena asked.

Her sister shrugged "I suppose, there's actually some stuff I don't know in here." After a moment's hesitation she lowered her book (still holding it slightly open to not lose her place) "Are you enjoying your food?" She asked Zelena.

Zelena looked up with a mouthful of potato and hastily gulped it down "Yes, it's very good," she said.

Regina gave a small laugh "Don't let the cooks hear you say that, when you are hired to work in a castle for the king and queen you are expected to be better than 'very good'."

Then when she saw Zelena's slightly panicked look she added "Kidding, of course. But most people do tend to go for more elaborate complements. Like 'the mutton is exquisitely cooked with a delightfully appropriate choice of seasoning, not to much not to little…" she mimicked.

"I like to keep my statements simple," Zelena tried to explain.

Regina gave her a questing look but didn't not press the matter.

"So what kind of food do you have in… Shamara?" The queen hesitated on the name of Zelena's "homeland" for a moment while trying to remember it, which Zelena couldn't really blame her for seeing as she had also forgotten it.

"We…umm…. Have lots of fruit? Yes lot of fruit, and umm, vegetables." Petty week story but she was not prepared to invent an entire fake ecoculture and diet. She _just_ wanted to eat in a non awkward way.

"That sounds… interesting," Regina said, "you don't go in for meats?"

"Um, yeah. Them as well."

Regina raised her eyebrow, "Doesn't sound that different from ours. Apart from the fruit, that's kind of weird."

Zelena laughed nervously "Yeah I suppose so, well my land isn't _that_ far away."

"But you seem to find these foods rare and exciting."

"They are very well prepared," Zelena said.

Regina gave her a thoughtful look, then struggled "I suppose they are, I've never really thought about it. They're not really a huge amount better than what I had at my old home."

' _Her old home? The home she had before she married the king. Obviously she must've been very well off to get such a good marriage, but how had their mother done it? She hadn't looked rich in the vision I saw,'_ Zelena wondered.

"What was your old home like?" she tried to ask as nonchalantly as possible. It was hard because not only was she curious about the past that put the both of them here, but also Regina's old life wasn't an incredible life that she had somehow managed to work her way into, this was the life their mother had _given_ her sister but kept Zelena out off. It was hard to be casual when thinking about that.

"It was… well you know, it had it's up and it's downs," Regina replied. She was scowling, seemingly not happy about this turn in the conversation.

' _Well too bad'_ Zelena thought _'I wasn't exactly happy telling you about my "homeland". You at least got to live yours, and I was denied that so I at least deserve to hear about it'_

"What do you mean by that exactly?" she pressed.

"I mean exactly what I said, it had it's ups and downs," Regina said and glared at Zelena, but she didn't back down, and held her sister's gaze.

After a moment Regina relented "I had more freedom than I do now, but not enough for me to be happy and I had a… _difficult_ relationship with my mother," she explained, a sour expression on her face.

Zelena looked at her sister with puzzlement, why should _she_ have a difficult relationship with Cora?as far as Zelena could tell their mother had given her everything any daughter could ask for.

"Why is that? If you don't mind me asking."

Regina shot her an annoyed look, "If you think I might mind then don't ask," she said.

"I think if everyone thought like that then all conversations would be very dull," Zelena said back.

"I'm not everyone, I'm your _queen_. You have to try extra hard to not offend me, because you do _not_ want to ever be on my bad side!" Regina said, glaring at her sister.

Zelena ducked her head, "I take your word for it," she said apologetically.

The queen nodded, relieved to see Zelena had dropped it, "Well, I think I'm about ready to retire for the night." She got up from her chair and Zelena hastily followed suit, still eyeing her sister's half finished dinner. Does she realise that lengths some people go to to get food? And she's just barely eating at all? Because the conversation turned bad? That part of her sister- the part where she didn't seem to appreciate, or even _realise_ what she had -really pissed her off.

"I think I can manage to change on my own with this one. You may go," the queen said.

"Well then, goodnight Your Majesty." Zelena gave her a little bow. She went over to the door and slid through it out into the corridor. Once on her own she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. But she couldn't completely relax, despite being out of the immediate danger and constant threat of being exposed her sister posed. Now she had nothing to stop her mind worrying about her _other_ problem, what to do with her shoes.

She sighed and made her way down towards her room, puzzling it over all the way. She thought she knew what she had to do but she didn't like it.

When she reached her rooms she stopped for a moment, suddenly remembering her _other_ other problem. She took a deep breath and went in, immediately meeting it's eyes. Her unwilling roommate, exactly where she had left her, and still tided up, but also very much _un-frozen_.

"Oh damn" Zelena breathed out.

The real handmaiden struggled against her bonds, mumbling angry sounds through the gag. She did not look happy.

' _Just ignore her,'_ Zelena told herself _'you've got more important things to worry about right now'_

She looked down at her slippers, then after a moments contemplation she wondered over to the wardrobe, inside she found dresses and cloaks. She couldn't help but admire the beauty of them, but she shook herself out of it. They weren't what she was looking for. She opened one of the drawers under the wardrobe, and seeing what she needed she reached in a pulled out one of the neatly arranged pair of shoes. She slipped one foot out of her precious slippers and into the new shoe. It was definitely on the small size for her, to the point of being slightly painful, but she supposes she should thank her lucky stars they fit at all.

Reluctantly she replaced her other slipper, it would be better this way. It may be dangerous to continue this ruse without an escape plan, but unless she learnt to control her magic there really wasn't anything for her in Oz.

Still, she wanted to return home someday if and when she mastered her powers, so it was important she hid them somewhere safe.

She met the angry glare of the handmaiden, she was watching her intently, which meant she probably shouldn't hide the slippers anywhere in this room. She let her mind think back to everything she'd seen today, where could she put them? Was there anywhere safe in the palace? How could she- a girl who'd been here less than a day -except to find a hiding place that none of people who may have lived here their whole lives would never find? The answer she decided, was she couldn't. There was nothing for it, she had to keep those shoes safe, not only so she could go home one day, but to keep them out of the wrong hands.

She shifted uncomfortably in her new footwear, she definitely needed to get some better fitting ones and _soon_ , but for now they would have to do. She turned back to the wardrobe, reopening the top part, she quickly shuffled though some of the clothes till she found something suitable, a dark brown cloak, useful for protecting her from the cold and hiding her in the dark. She swung it round her shoulders and clipped the clasp at the front, then pulled the hood over her red locks.

'I'll be back soon," she said in her prisoner's direction and hurried out the door.

Out in the corridor the lamps had been dimmed but were still burning. This was bad in the sense that it would make her easier to spot, but good in that she would be less likely to trip and fall on her face.

She walked at a fairly brisk pace, trying her best to keep a mental note of where she'd come, which was hard because she had no idea where she was going, but she really _did not_ want to get lost on her way back.

She only come across two guard, (both of which she managed to avoid being seen by) which seemed like rather poor security for a place like this, but she supposes they focus their manpower outside to stop any would be thieves and assassins before they reach the castle. They couldn't know to expect long lost sisters with magic shoes.

Eventually she made it to the ground floor, and wondered over to a large window, opened it and looked out, there was only a small bit of grass before forest, and at the moment she couldn't see any guards, she looked down, the ground was about five foot below her… this was probably going to hurt. She swung up first one leg then the other so she was sitting on the ledge, then she braced herself and jumped.

She landed with a thump, sprawled forward. She lay there a second, the wind knocked out of her, but she quickly forced herself up. She couldn't stay here in the open for long.

She sprinted across the grass till she was hidden amongst the large trees, their canopy plunging her into near complete darkness. She peered around, trying to make out anything of her surroundings, all she could see was the faint outlines of trees, trees and more trees.

She walked over to the largest tree shape near her, she noticed a bush growing at it's feet but when she reached out to touch it she felt the picks of thorns. Here would do. She looked back towards the castle, the lights from windows showing up clearly against the black of night. She made careful note of which ones she could see from here, she needed to be able to find this place again.

Getting down on her hands and knees, she carefully parted the brush, trying her best to get as few scratches as possible. With one hand holding the thorny trap open, she scraped away at the dead leaves and loose dirt underneath. She pulled one of the slippers out from a pocket inside her cloak and looked at it for a moment. Somehow, it seemed to catch every tiny bit of moonlight that managed to pierce the thick roof of leaves. With great uncertainty she lay it in the small hole she'd made, than lay it's sister down with it. She really didn't want to leave them and not just because they were pretty, but she knew it was better in the long run to be as fair away as possible from all connections to where she _really_ came from.

She shivered slightly and pulled her cloak tighter around her as a cold night breeze drifted over her. She stood up and after carving a small X into a close by tree with a pocket knife, she turned around and headed back to the castle.

* * *

 **Words: 5,964**

 **I realised I am incapable of focusing on two things at once, so now I've written this chapter, I'm gonna do one chapter of a different story and _then_ go back to this, then back to that and so on and so on. So it may well take even longer till the next update. I'm sorry! I know, I'm terrible.**


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